Doctor Who: Not One, but Two
by PurposeSeekerIII
Summary: When the 11th Doctor, Amy, and Rory, tracks down a signal and their world is thrown into chaos. Surprises awaits and danger hides behind every corner.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I've been obsessing over Doctor Who for the past month, so I finally decided to do something about it. Hopefully, you will enjoy this. I am new at fanfiction writing and all, so any advices and reviews are greatly appreciated :D.**

* * *

><p>Amy leaned against the railings of the TARDIS and watched the doctor as he fiddled with his switches. He seemed more fidgety than usual as he muttered to himself with a frown stretched across his face. "Think, Doctor, think!" He said to himself as he slapped his face. His expression suddenly brightened and he turned on his heels to face Amy's raised eyebrows with an excited childish grin.<p>

"Doctor, is everything alright?" Amy asked slowly. She was fond of the wide variety of expressions that the Doctor had but sometimes, she admitted, it could be unnerving.

"Yes! Of course everything is al right. I just had a brilliant idea. What if, Amy…what if I installed a TV on the control board that plays all possible human and alien channels from the future and past?"

"I didn't know you liked Tele..," Amy frowned at the doctor and then a teasing smile spread across her face, "Doctor, you're bored aren't you?"

"Not bored."

Amy crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows.

"Fine, fine. Yes, bored," he admitted, breaking eye contact, "I haven't gone anywhere exciting for the past 8 hours. I am dying of boredom Pond."

"So...why aren't we flying to somewhere exotic on the TARDIS like we usually do?" She asked.

"I'm waiting," he replied, pointing at the screen as if it obvious.

Amy squinted at the squiggles and symbols that flashed back at her.

"I can't understand that," she reminded him.

The Doctor frowned, "Of course not, that's Galliferian."

"So explain then, Doctor," She said, exasperated.

The Doctor twirled around to face the screen again.

"There's been some sort of disturbance in the time vortex. I've been tracking it but it moves..." His voice lowered as he thought to himself.

"There's only us here."

"I know," the Doctor ran his hand unconsciously through his hair,"...but this time there's something else...something familiar." His voice lowered and his gaze darkened momentarily.

"Who else can be here?" Amy asked, puzzled, making her way down to get a better look at the screen.

The Doctor turned toward her, the seriousness wiped away by a small mysterious smile as he propelled himself to the opposite side of the consoles.

Amy frowned, "Doctor! Who else-."

The TARDIS lurched, cutting her off mid-sentence and sending her stumbling backwards. She fell against the railings and grabbed on to it for dear life as the TARDIS jerked under her foot and sparks explodes from the consoles.

"Uhhhhh...hold on Amy!" The Doctor shouted as he clung to a lever, trying to balance himself.

"DOCTOR! Tell me this is supposed to happen!"

"This is supposed to happen!" The Doctor yelled back as his hands flew desperately across the consoles.

"Really?!"

"No, not really," the Doctor admitted, "But she did locate the disturbance and we are heading there...so I guess...kind of really."

"That is not reassuring me Doctor!"

"Just hold on Pond!"

The TARDIS whirred through space, its passengers flung back and forth.

"AMY! DOCTOR!" A muffled shout drifted from the inner rooms of the TARDIS. It was followed by a small "umph" and thud.

"That must be Rory," the Doctor remarked, "falling off the bunk."

"Rory! Grab onto something," Amy shouted back.

"I sort of got that," came the distant reply.

The TARDIS shuddered one last time and landed with a loud thud. The lights flickered off before slowly turning on again. The TARDIS became silent except for the muffled whirring of its machinery.

The Doctor turned the screens towards him and studied it closely.

Running footsteps echoed down the corridors and a disheveled Rory stopped in front of Amy, his hands still fumbling with the strings on his bathrobes.

"Amy, what's going on?" He asked, looking between her and the Doctor.

The Doctor spared him a look before pointing at the screen.

"The TARDIS is stable and we landed at our destination," he declared, "Ha. I'm so clever, aren't I clever?" He jumped down the stairs with a wide grin.

" And where is that?" Amy wondered, rolling his eyes, as she stared at the doors. Through the window panels she could only detect a pulsing orange glow. The Doctor's eyes followed hers'.

"No idea," he finally said, throwing up his arms, "New planet! Come along Ponds. Let's go exploring. Always so exciting."

He straightened himself, nonchalantly pulled on his bow tie and waved for them to follow, his face animated.

Rory and Amy looked at each other. Rory motioned toward his sleeping-wear, uncomfortable, "I'm not dressed yet."

Amy rolled her eyes. Men, she thought as she dragged Rory with her.

The Doctor swung open the door and a blast of hot air made them stagger backwards.

Amy shielded her eyes and gasped as she finally saw the world outside the TARDIS. She could see the land churning. From the crevices that spread and crept through the ground spewed lava that glowed deep crimson. The world rumbled loudly and angrily around them.

"Beautiful," the Doctor breathed, as he took in the scene in front of them.

The Doctor did not hesitate as he stepped out from the TARDIS and into the fiery scenery. A stream of lava erupted right beside him.

He turned back toward the Ponds who hovered near the TARDIS door, their faces pale and unsure.

"Don't worry Ponds," he shouted over the noise, "It's safe. Just avoid the bubbling cracks."

"Cheery place. Lava and fire," Rory remarked, his voice shaky.

"Oh come on. If the Doctor says its ok, then we'll be fine," Amy told him impatiently, hoping that her anxiety didn't show.

"Avoid the cracks…Avoid the cracks, he says" Rory muttered to himself, "what is he talking about-" He broke off and cried out in shock as his foot sank into a pocket of oozing liquid and begun to steam. He jerked his foot away and nearly fell into another pool of lava behind him. Amy grabbed his arm to steady him.

"Rory! Amy!" the Doctor rushed to their side, stepping nimbly over the broken ground, his face concerned.

"I'm fine, it almost got me," Rory grimaced as he looked at the smoldering hole in his left shoe, "Great, I loved those boots."

"We proceed carefully, Ponds" the Doctor reminded them, looking them each in the eyes.

"Don't go running off by yourself then Doctor," Amy grumbled back, warily testing the ground in front of her.

They moved slower over the uneven ground, the Doctor in front, Amy and Rory closely behind him as they tried to mimic his steps. The landscape around them all looked the same; the dark sky dyed orange by the smoke and the channels of magma flowing sluggishly, criss-crossing the ground like spider webs. It would have been impossible to estimate how far they had walked if not for the bright blue TARDIS growing smaller and smaller behind them.

Amy pulled at the Doctor's jacket, she could see a shape in the distance; too well-formed to be natural in the ragged terrain.

"Amy?" the Doctor looked at her and then turned toward the direction that her eyes were drawn to and froze. His eyes flickered across the structure, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion, "I've seen it before…" his voice became softer, "a long, long time ago….it's not possible."

"Doctor? What's wrong? Wha-what is it?" Amy asked him tensely.

He blinked and shook his head as if dispelling his worries, "We have to get closer, come along Ponds."

Amy opened her mouth to ask again and then bit down on her lips. The Doctor had heard the question but as he sometimes...no...many times did, avoided them. She observed the Doctor as they walked. He was silent, his previous enthusiasm had faded, leaving no trace; the smile that played around his lips had disappeared and his eyes seemed to look inward to his thoughts, far away and sad, replacing the sparkle that had danced in his eyes. His shoulders were slightly hunched as he walked and Amy wondered how many secrets and regrets weighed upon them. He was the last of the time lords, always alone...She couldn't help herself as she reached for the Doctor's hand and gave it firm squeeze. He glanced at her quizzically and she gave him a reassuring smile.

The Doctor bounded toward the structure as they approached, taking the sonic screwdriver from his pocket, pointed, and waved it at the structure. The sonic screwdriver whirred as he walked around the structure, scanning it.

Amy peered at the architecture in front of her. The color matched the ground perfectly and veins of lava flowed along the outside of it. It was the shape that had caught her attention, shaped like a bean-it's perimeter was curved but its base was flat. There was something else, though, that didn't seem quite right. She frowned as she walked closer to the structure. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was.

"Doctor! The magma...it's flowing-"

"Upwards," the Doctor finished her sentence, studying the readings of the sonic screwdriver and looked at her with a smile, "I know."

"How is that possible?" Rory asked him.

Amy gasped as the Doctor walked up to the structure and reached out to touch one of the veins filled with lava. To her surprise, he was not burnt. The lava did not consume his hands; it flowed undisturbed under his fingertips, as if his hands were merely resting on the surface of a television screen.

"It's not possible and also, it helps that the lava isn't lava," the Doctor answered Rory's question, "all of this is just camouflage."

"Well...it clearly isn't working. This thing sticks out like a sore thumb." Rory remarked drily.

"Well, the color is right…but I guess you have a point, the shape is a bit...off. Ok, more like really off...Must be a fault with the Chameleon Circuits" the Doctor muttered, running his hands over its surface. He suddenly stopped and pressed his ears to the structure.

Rory looked at him in confusion but before anyone could ask any more questions, the Doctor made a noise of triumph. "There it is!" he shouted and backed away from the structure, his screwdriver pointed to a spot which, to Amy, looked no different than any other part of the structure's body.

The colors and details of the spot shimmered and rippled before stabilizing and then the edges of a door slowly materialized in front of them.

"What is it?" Rory asked.

The Doctor gave Rory an astounded look, "It's a door! Pay attention Rory."

"No, no. Not that," Rory waved his hands helplessly at the whole structure, "what is _that_."

"Oh, _that,"_ the Doctor turned and stared intently at the structure, his voice softened, his face becoming unreadable, "is a TARDIS."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for reading :)! I will try to update weekly. Any constructive criticisms, etc are loved! This week's chapter is kind of short, sorry. Laid back too. Will get more exciting next week

* * *

><p>There was a slight pause as Amy and Rory digested the information.<p>

"The TARDIS," Amy finally said carefully, "as in Time and Relative Dimensions in Space?"

"Yes, yes. Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. What else can it stand for?" the Doctor retorted impatiently, his brows furrowed in concentration as he contemplated the TARDIS in front of him.

"I don't know," Amy shrugged as she paced in front of the TARDIS, placing a finger to her cheeks, "oh, let's see. Maybe...Timelord Alien Relocate Dimension Instrument...uhh…" She paused as she struggled to come up with a word for the last letter of the acronym.

"...Spaceship," Rory suggested. Both Amy and the Doctor turned to stare at him. "That is what the TARDIS is," he said defensively.

"Mr. Pond, you are exactly correct!" Amy exclaimed, giving Rory an approving slap on the back.

The Doctor walked up to them, his forehead creased with worry, "That would be an awful name. It's the _TARDIS _that travels, not space and time." The Doctor lectured them, sounded somewhat horrified that they did not know such a basic fact after all this time.

"Still a better name than...Sexy," Amy said. Rory nodded in agreement.

"It's a brilliant name," the Doctor replied indignantly, "She is a _very_ sexy girl."

"Of course Doctor…." Amy said slowly. The Doctor's injured expression did not nothing to help her with her struggle to keep up her stern expression. The corners of Amy's lips twitched and the Doctor finally realized that he was being successfully teased.

He opened and closed his mouth, waving a finger at them, at a loss for words. His expression was flustered as he darted back to the door, scrutinizing every last part of it, seeming much too mesmerized by it.

"Well..,Ummm. Yes, Right… The door. I should probably open the door, take a look inside, try not to die or make trouble, or anything else that will…" The Doctor rumbled, then checked himself, "Oh look, I'm making a plan now."

He squinted at his sonic screwdriver, adjusting the settings. Satisfied, he aimed his sonic screwdriver at the doorknob. Nothing visibly changed. The Doctor frowned, banging his sonic screwdriver against one hand, before waving it at the door again.

"Oh come on, it's not working," He said, frustrated.

"The only type of door that the Sonic screwdriver doesn't open is wood," Amy recalled, mimicking the Doctor's voice.

"True, until now. Apparently it doesn't work on TARDIS doors either. Makes sense I suppose. TARDIS does have a multidimensional, triple-encoded temporal interface…"

"Sorry? Multidimensional what-?" Rory asked.

"Nothing," the Doctor sighed, "It's complicated. The point is, Ponds, it's going to take the Sonic Screwdriver centuries to break the cipher and by that time you'll be dead of old age and I will… I guess I'll still be around."

"Right...Or we can just wait around for the owner," Amy returned dryly, arching an eyebrow at the Doctor, "That will probably take a much shorter time."

"I guess that's the best choice we have," the Doctor grumbled, flopping down onto the ground, leaning his back against the TARDIS. Amy and Rory plopped down beside him. There was a long stretch of silence. A strained expression decorated the Doctor's face and Amy could feel the impatience ebbing out of him. He exhaled loudly, his hands tapping the ground.

Rory coughed, "Ummm…nice place…."

"Ok, waiting not working," the Doctor jumped up, and began to pace, "There must be some other way to get into the TARDIS."

"Did you try the door knob?" Amy asked him.

"Why? It's locked," The Doctor replied, his voice certain.

Amy got up and attempted to turn the doorknob. It didn't open.

"Amy Pond, I told you. It's_ locked_."

"You never know until you try," Amy told him with a shrug. She could see that the Doctor was out of ideas and she was becoming a bit impatient herself. The heat made her light headed and, to be honest, she wasn't keen on waiting either. The empty landscape around her did nothing to dispel the dread that they would be waiting for a very long time.

She pulled hard on the door; it didn't budge. "Oh you stupid thing, open already," she growled crossly, kicking the TARDIS.

"Oi, be respectful," the Doctor sputtered, appalled at her actions, "the TARDIS is an exquisite machine, you can't just...just_ kick_ it!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Amy said, rolling her eyes," should I apologize to it then?"

"I am so, so very sorry for kicking you, TARDIS," she said sweetly to the TARDIS, her voice heavy with sarcasm, "Now would you please, _please,_ open the doors."

There was a click and the door slowly opened. All of them froze in surprise, the Doctor turned toward Amy with amazement.

"Didn't expect that," Amy said to no one in particularly.

"No...Neither did I," The Doctor said slowly.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry guys for the update delay. Just came out of an exam week so I wasn't able to write as much. **Thank everyone for reading! **You guys are awesome :). Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. As always reviews/creative criticisms loved.**  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Ready to explore?" The Doctor asked the Ponds, rubbing his hands together. He felt his hearts flutter; anticipation and excitement coursing through his veins...and also a touch of hope. He shook away this latter feeling. He was the last of the Time Lords, he reminded himself, he had to destroy them, they had grown corrupt and it was the only way. But all of this doesn't stop his guilt and it slowly ate away at him. Perhaps, just perhaps, this once he'll find another Time Lord, a <em>good<em> Time Lord. He shook his head to dispel this thought, plastering a smile on his face as he looked at Amy. Amelia Pond, he thought fondly, she was trying to act casual, but he had noticed all the worried glances she sneaked at him when she thought he wasn't looking.

"Let's go Doctor," Amy said, pulling him and Rory enthusiastically into the TARDIS.

"It's bigger on the inside like your TARDIS," Rory remarked.

That wasn't the only similarity that this TARDIS had with his own. The layout of the room was like his as well. The Master control console was stationed in the center of the room; its metallic surface polished, the console column glass shiny, and two stairs; one led to the tangle of wires under and another to the rest of the TARDIS. Etched within the metallic walls were round disks spaced evenly which emanated a soft blue glow.

"I love the round things," the Doctor breathed excitedly, a smile brushed his lips.

"Right...Doctor…" Amy dragged out her words, her attention claimed by various trinkets that cluttered the perimeters of room. They overflowed dozens of crates and chests carelessly pushed to sides and corners.

"I've always wanted to get myself one of these," Amy said, trying to draw out a sword from a crate. It didn't budge. She yanked hard on the hilt.

"Woah Amy, watch—" Rory never finished his warning because the sword suddenly pulled free and the momentum sent Amy reeling backwards. Rory yelped and dodged. The edge of the sword neatly cut off several strands of his hair.

"Amy, be careful! Were you trying to behead me? "Rory grumbled, catching hold of her hand. She poked him on the nose.

"If I was trying, Mr. Pond, you wouldn't have a head, "she teased, leaning up to kiss him.

"Good point, "Rory breathed, bending down to meet her lips.

The Doctor made a face, turning away from the Ponds and bounded toward the control console. Young lovers, he thought grumpily and shuddered. All that looking into each other's eyes and the kissing…. A sudden image of River popped up in his mind. _Stop it, _he told himself sternly, trying to brandish away the thought of her. Her image only smiled beguilingly at him. Stubborn, rash, and dangerous, she always crashed into his life, literally. He wondered where she was now. He sneaked a peek at the Ponds, still captivated in their own little world. He really missed River.

The Doctor grinned as he looked from the point of his screwdriver to a port located on the console; perfect fit.

"Doctor!" Amy shouted.

"What Amy?" He yelled back, plugging in the Sonic Screwdriver and turning the TARDIS screen toward him.

"What is that sound?"

The Doctor paused and listened. He could hear the sound of pattering feet rapidly approaching. It was coming from the inner corridors of the TARDIS. He moved toward the stairs and gave the Ponds a cautious look, "Don't know but it sounds like..."

And then the source of the noise appeared at the top of the staircase, blinking quizzically down at them.

"It's a giant...flying lizard," Amy hissed at him, as the trio stared at the creature. It was indeed a reptilian creature of some sort. It was the size of a small horse, brown scales glowing with a waxy sheen and giant bat wings folded around its body. It narrowed its eyes at them and grumbled, its claws clicked against the floor.

"Pond, be nice," the Doctor frowned at the creature, "Say that again?" The creature gave a growl. "I see.. Not a lizard. It's called a Serpingesor and…" The Doctor gave Amy an apologetic look, "Sorry. It just called you an idiot."

Amy sputtered and glowered at both the Doctor and the Serpingesor. Before she could speak, the Serpingesor growled and slithered down the stairs, its gaze never leaving the Doctor.

"Hello, nice to meet you too," The Doctor said brightly, backing away slowly. His back hit the consoles.

"That was a _really _bad introduction wasn't it? Don't worry about what Amy said; it's a Scottish thing. …Oh yes. I'm John Smith and these are my companions and we are from the Interior Decoration Corporation located in umm...well, somewhere...around...here. Totally famous…. Haven't heard of us? You must not go out much…."The Doctor continued to talk as he edged around toward his sonic screwdriver.

The Doctor glanced up as the lights of the TARDIS stuttered and blinked. The TARDIS cloister bells began to toll and then he felt himself falling… not down but toward the inner corridors of the TARDIS. He shouted in surprise and grabbed a lever to stop himself. Disco music boomed through the TARDIS. Shouldn't have pulled on that one, he grimaced to himself. He didn't dally on the thought. The force that pulled at him also pulled at all the objects in the room, causing them to plunge toward the inner rooms of the TARDIS. Crates and chests tumbled around him, their contents spilling; a sideway shower of artifacts. His eyes widened as a particularly large and sharp ax flew toward him. He yelped and with his free hand grabbed another handhold, which turned out to be another lever, and the sound of trumpets joined the cacophony. He sighed with relief as the ax passed safely by, disappearing into the TARDIS.

"Amy, Rory!" He muttered, where were they? He twisted his head around, searching for his the Ponds. He couldn't see them.

"AMY! RORY! WHERE ARE YOU?" He tried to shout over the noise, his voice laced with worry.

"Oh shut up! It's loud enough in here without you screaming too," An all too familiar Scottish voice grumbled nearby. And there they were, above him-Amy with the sword squished under her and Rory holding onto her. The couple was wrapped around the Console Column.

"Amelia Pond! I'm so glad to see you, I can almost kiss you," the Doctor exclaimed with relief. He noticed Rory's scowl, "On a second thought, Rory should do that."

"Doctor. We. Are. Hanging. Off. The. Console. Column," Amy gritted, "falling sideways. Explain. Now."

"Technically, I'm the one hanging-" the Doctor began.

"_Doctor_…" Amy cut him off warningly.

"Right. I'm copying information from the TARDIS data system to my sonic screwdriver. The sonic screwdriver probably...just hit some sensitive information and the TARDIS doesn't like it. She's changing gravity to stop us. So whatever you do, hang on tightly and don't-YOWZA," The Doctor's eyes widened as the Serpingesor lunged for him, wings spread and mouth wide. It's fangs snapped shut on air as the Doctor reeled in his feet. It arced through the air toward him again.

"I probably shouldn't have said all of that out loud," he huffed as he swung from one lever to the next. He prayed that he wouldn't accidently yank on the TARDIS destruct lever.

"Doctor! Hold on! I can help," Amy shouted, clumsily taking the sword out from under her.

"No no no no," the Doctor yelled in panic, "AMY! STAY PUT! DON'T MOVE."

As usual, Amy refused to heed his words. She swung the sword wildly at the direction of the Serpingesor. Now the Doctor had to fend off both Amy's wild swings and the Serpingesor's attacks. It was quite difficult with only one hand.

"Ow," the Doctor winced as the flat of the sword smacked him on the nose.

The Doctor's hearts almost stopped as Amy yelped when she reached too far and lost her balance. Luckily good old Rory was there to save her.

The chaos around him was starting to become too much.

"EVERYONE, EVERYTHING. STOP MOVING. SHUT UP. I'M TRYING TO THINK," The Doctor shouted and all the noise except for the tolling of the bells abruptly stopped. Even the Serpingesor flew back and clung defensively to the sides of the TARDIS at his outburst and hissed as it watched him warily.

"Ah, that's better," The Doctor continued in a quieter voice, "Amy, Rory. Stay there and don't fall. Because if you do, you will be lost in the TARDIS...forever and there will be nothing I can do to save you."

As if in response, the TARDIS groaned and the gravity began to fluctuate, pulling them toward different directions, trying to shake them off their perches like an angry bull.

Amy let out a squeak as a particularly strong jolt made her slid off the column, her feet scraping uselessly on the glass.

"Rory!"

"Amy, I won't let you go," Rory's voice was firm as he clenched her hand tightly. But he too was slipping.

Amy screamed as Rory lost hold. The Doctor seized Rory's wrist as Rory tumbled past him.

The Doctor panted as they dangled there, tossed around like leaves in a storm. He could feel his grip slowly loosen. It wouldn't be long now.

"No pressure or anything. But this is the time when you do something incredibly brilliant," Rory made out through gritted teeth.

"Uhhh…." The Doctor started, racking his mind, desperately searching for a way to get them out of this situation. His mind turned up blank.

He met the Ponds' wide and frightened eyes. They had always supported, trusted, and believed the best of him. But he knew he was a selfish man who was afraid of the loneliness. He was always running to them and because he couldn't stay away; they were in danger.

The TARDIS rumbled angrily.

"You don't have to hurt them," he said soothingly to the TARDIS, "let them go. They didn't know my plans. It was all me."

The shaking abated somewhat as if the TARDIS was considering his words.

"What are you doing Doctor?" Amy asked, her voice rising in disbelief, "We are NOT leaving without you."

"Amy, be quiet," he told her sternly. But warmth spread through him.

The TARDIS whirred uncertainly and the Doctor grinned excitedly, "That is wonderful idea. If you let us go, we will _never c_ome back. That thought won't ever cross our minds again. No more snooping around strange TARDIS. Isn't that right Ponds?"

"Oh yes, Doctor. Promise," Amy agreed enthusiastically.

The TARDIS grumbled. The Ponds looked at him questioningly.

"Oh look at me. Hands full and about to fall. Do you really think I can get my screwdriver? " the Doctor asked the TARDIS.

There was a moment of silence and then the TARDIS flung open its doors and adjusted the gravity field to expel them from its interior. The Doctor released Rory and breathed with relief as they landed safely outside. The gravity change had brought him closer to his sonic screwdriver. If he reached out his hand…

Memories of the Time War and the near destruction of the universe flashed through his mind. He needed this information, to know what he was dealing with so that he could be prepared for the worst.

"Sorry," he apologized as he let go of the lever and snatched up his sonic screwdriver.

And then he was outside, flat on his stomach, the wind knocked out of him. He scrambled up to his feet, spinning around to face the Ponds only to see the furious Serpingesor hurtling toward them.

"Move Amy," He shouted as he pushed past them and slammed the TARDIS door shut just as the Serpingesor reached it. He sagged against the door in relief.

"Look up there," Rory pulled on his jacket, pointing at the sky. The Doctor jerked his head up to see a speck of grey rapidly becoming bigger as it approached them, alerted by the TARDIS bells.

The Doctor lurched up and grabbed his companion's hands, "Run!"


	4. Chapter 4

Amy let out a small shriek as she stumbled over a crevice. If it was not for Rory's or the Doctor's steady hands holding onto her, she was sure she would have been burnt to a crisp multiple times.

"We're almost there," The Doctor muttered in response to Amy's panting breaths. He wasn't out of breath at all—the advantage of having two hearts, she grumbled to herself.

They were indeed close to the TARDIS. She could almost make out the black letters on the TARDIS door. But she could not calm the thudding of her heart. She was horribly aware of how close the whirring of engines sounded.

Her stomach lurched and she let out a little gasp as searchlights flickered to life, its beams swinging wildly around them.

"Don't panic Amy!" the Doctor encouraged.

"No one is panicking," Amy snapped back defensively, "…except maybe Rory."

"What?!" Rory exclaimed indignity, "I am not panicking." But he yelped anyway as a mechanical voice boomed around them.

"Halt or you will be eliminated."

Like hell I will, Amy thought aggressively.

"Halt!" The voice thundered. But they were so close…only a few more steps.

The ground around them exploded. Amy screamed and waved her arm wildly as a speck of ember fried her sleeves. She stumbled backwards and hit a wooden something. It was the TARDIS. She almost cried from relief, but the feeling was short lived.

"Move Amy!" The Doctor gasped, shoving her aside. He snapped his fingers. Nothing happened.

"Oh...Keys...keys…come on…" the Doctor muttered as his hands desperately searched around in his pockets.

Amy's ears rung as the ship fired again, raining them with dirt. The explosions were getting closer and she couldn't shake away the unpleasant feeling that the ship wouldn't miss next time. Yet, the Doctor was still searching for the TARDIS keys. She bit back hysterical giggles at the absurdity of the situation. She realized that she probably wasn't very successful when Rory looked at her with concern.

"Ah ha!" The Doctor exclaimed as he pulled out the TARDIS keys from his back pocket, "I just checked there. I could have sworn—."

"Oh shut up Doctor and open the door," Amy shouted, her eyes wide as the ship's weapon began to charge again.

"Right."

The TARDIS doors swung open and the trio half fell into its interior. The Doctor slammed the doors shut behind them muting the chaos outside.

"We are _not_ doing that again," Rory finally said.

"We can take a break and go swimming in the oceans on the planet of Tealemar next," the Doctor agreed as he hurried toward the consoles, "…and what _is it_ with all the TARDIS locking me out today…."

Amy sighed with relief and snuggled against Rory as she closed her eyes wearily. She couldn't wait to go home and take a shower. She smelled like a burnt chicken.

_Click. Click. Click…_

"Rory, stop doing that," Amy said irritably. She heard Rory gulp and felt his arms tighten around her.

Amy's eyes flew open. Her breath caught and she froze as she looked in horror at what so tightly held Rory's attention.

"Doctor…" her voice weak. "Doctor!" she raised her voice though it still trembled.

Hot molten eyes glared at her, its owner a transparent humanoid. She could see the purple veins and organs that pulsed within, but not any bones that held up its form. If she looked hard enough, she could see the TARDIS blue on the other side. She felt sick. Where was the Doctor?

Amy shrieked as the creature lunged for her. She could hear Rory's outraged shout as he tried to hit it away. Her eyes widened as the creature's "hands" passed through Rory as if he was made of smoke and grabbed her, wrenching her way. Amy gasped as she felt fire sear across her shoulder blades and stared dumbly at the scarlet that spread across her shirt. Black spots peppered her vision and the world faded. She dimly heard Rory's screams as the world fell to pieces.

* * *

><p>Conflicting emotions—Horror, admiration, and disgust—tore through the Doctor as words and charts flashed by on the monitor. His mind raced as he absorbed the information, of the promise and the destruction it held.<p>

A high-pitched scream jolted him out his thoughts and reality rushed back. He whirled around irritably. His breath caught and died in his lungs. Red. His eyes were drawn to the crimson blotch on Amy's shirt. He struggled to inhale. The world tightened around him, threatening to crush him.

Sara, Rose, and Donna…the fates of his past companions flashed through his mind and terror flared inside of him.

"What do you want?" he asked flatly. He could not take his eyes off Amy's wound.

"Doctor, you have to do something," Rory pleaded, his voice cracked. He struggled helplessly against a second humanoid that pinned his arms against his sides and forced him onto his knees.

"Be quiet Rory," the Doctor said. He was surprised at how calm he sounded. Anger began to will up inside of him as he looked at the creatures whose hands now threateningly encircled Amy's and Rory's necks, dulling the edges of fear that had almost frozen him. He wanted to wrap his hands around their necks instead and his hand trembled from the effort to not do so.

The creature tilted its head at him silently, seeming to analyzing him with its lifeless red eyes. In all his travels, it was his first time that he encountered such creatures and he hoped, for their sake, that it was his last. If Amy and Rory were killed, he would…No; he had to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Information," the creature holding Amy said in a gurgling voice.

"What kind of information?" the Doctor asked. Caution made his hands snake discreetly toward his screwdriver still plugged into the TARDIS. He stiffened as the creature's nails ran across Amy's neck, leaving a crimson line. Rory moaned, slumping. The Doctor could see the tears that were beginning to form in Rory's eyes.

"I think you know," it said, baring its teeth in a smile. Yes, he could guess what the creature wanted.

"Let my companions go first," The Doctor growled.

Amy's captive threw back its head and laughed, "I don't think you are in the position to bargain, Doctor."

"You know me?" the Doctor's eyes narrowed.

"My master warned us about you," it said, tightening its hold on Amy's neck, "Now, the information, Doctor. Or you'll have to clean up quite the mess in your TARDIS tonight."

The Doctor hesitated. Amy and Rory were two mortals fated to die. Their lives passed by in a flicker, compared to the infinite of time, even if they were to live to their maxim lifespan. Dared he betray time itself for two such mortals? He could not. He would not.

The creature's hands made a move to crush Amy's neck.

"I'll give it to you!" he heard himself shout as he held up the screwdriver, breathing hard. The creature paused and shook its head.

"We want the information," it repeated.

"It's in here," the Doctor said through gritted his teeth.

"No," the creature holding Rory finally spoke, "We know what is in your…stick. But we do not understand it, it is written in code. Translate it for us, Doctor."

The last of the Doctor's hopes plummeted at the creature's words, "You don't expect me to do that do you?"

"If you want your companions to live," it said carelessly.

The Doctor felt his shoulders droop in defeat. In the end, he could not let Amy and Rory die. His mind laughed cruelly at him and whispered, _what's the matter? Afraid to sacrifice two more lives? It would not make a difference with all the blood that already stain hands. _He plugged his screwdriver back into the TARDIS control boards and hesitated, before rapidly typing the password that would decrypt the information to give a simple formula that anyone could understand. He jerked the screwdriver out.

"My companions," The Doctor demanded.

"We are not falling for any of your tricks this time," the creature with Amy said.

"There are no tricks," The Doctor growled and for once, he could not think of one idea that would ensure the lives of his companions and devoid their captors of information. The creature cocked its head at him and seemed to come to a conclusion. It let go of Amy who fell limply onto the ground and nodded at its companion. The companion reluctantly released Rory who darted towards Amy's fallen form.

The Doctor handed the screwdriver over to creature. It snatched his screwdriver and reached for something attached in its belt at its waist.

There was a loud bang and a bright flash of light that blinded the Doctor. He lunged forward instinctively, reaching for Amy and Rory. He felt his hand touch the soft wool of Amy's sweater before something ripped her away from him. He heard Rory's scream and tried to shout his name, but smoke jammed the words in his throat and he broke out in uncontrollable coughs. Even without seeing, he knew that they were gone. His hands trembled. They still clung to the torn piece of Amy's sweater.

* * *

><p>Sorry guys for the REALLY LONG delay. I will definitely write more this year and it is my goal to finish this story (One chapter per week, because I got faster at writing ^^). Sorry again and hope you guys enjoy.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Rory landed onto the ground with a clang, automatically checking that Amy was still cradled in his arms. She was. He tried to breath a sigh of relief only to groan in pain instead as he noticed the agony that blossomed through his back from hitting the steel surface of the…of the what? He looked around wearily.

They were in what seemed to be the main chamber of the space ship that had tried to capture them. On the second thought, _tried_ was the wrong word since they were now in its clutches. The control boards were projected from the steel walls of the chamber, whose gently sloping walls ended in a rounded nose made of steel beams enclosing thick polished glass. He could see the curve of the molten world they had landed passing slowly under them and the stars gleaming coldly in the distance. Humanoids with dark blue uniforms sat on leathery seats across from the control boards, their veins pulsing a light red. They peered at Amy and him curiously when they thought he wasn't looking.

Behind them, a black sphere, as tall as the ceiling and propped on three steel legs, occupied most of the space in the center of the chamber. Rory felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle as he observed the structure. The sphere did not reflect the soft blue light that lit the area; instead, it was black, seeming to absorb any light that touched its surface. A line of energy flickered to life and ominously crawled along its smooth exterior.

Rory shuddered, pulling Amy closer. The doctor in him longed to furiously scan her for any additional injuries, stitch the long wound in her shoulder, and worried for blood loss and other possible infections. But the common sense in Rory told him to stay as inconspicuous as possible.

Rory stiffened apprehensively, feeling a particular tickling sensation, as one of the two humanoids that captured them passed through like a ghost. He watched as the humanoid approached the captain's chair, elevated in the front of the chambers, and bent down to whisper something to its occupant. Rory held his breath as the humanoid gestured towards them. A string of thoughts anxiously ran through his mind and he wished that the Doctor was here. Rory felt small and alone as he gazed at the foreign landscape around him. He was only a human, what could he do?

The captain's chair swiveled around and Rory blinked in confusion as he realized that a man, not a humanoid, sat there. Lines creased the corners of the man's eyes and his short hair contained strands of grey. It was his eyes that made Rory shiver. Those clear blue pupils were cold as snow and they ran over Rory and Amy impassively. The man stood and walked towards them, his conspicuous white robes trimmed with gold trailing behind, making him look as if he belonged in a much more ancient era.

"Welcome to my ship, little companions of the Doctor," the man said mockingly.

Rory swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, as he looked up at the man. The man's presence seemed to weigh down upon the room and Rory was suddenly more afraid of this man than the two humanoids combined.

"You should let us go. The Doctor will come for us," Rory said defiantly, hating how thin his voice sounded.

"Speak respectfully to our lord or you will find yourself without a tongue," the humanoid behind Rory snarled, jabbing him roughly in the back. Rory grunted in pain, noting the reverence in the creature's voice as it spoke of the man in front of him.

"Peace Nh'lox," the man said and the humanoid called Nh'lox relaxed.

Rory stayed silent as the man studied them, an enigmatic smile on his face. Rory felt naked under the man's gaze and he loosened his hold as Amy slightly when he realized that he had almost curled himself around Amy's form.

"You say the Doctor will come and save you…" the man mused, his eyebrows rose in amusement.

"If you don't let us go, you will regret it," Rory grunted, biting down on his lips as Nh'lox fixed him with a heated glare.

The man chuckled at Rory's words.

"Yes," he agreed, "He will come. I expect it so. But are you sure that he will save you? How well do you _really _know the Doctor?"

How well did he know the Doctor? Rory wondered. He had tried to prod the Doctor about his past, but the Doctor was good at dodging the question and Rory had resigned himself to knowing only what the Doctor allowed him to. Nevertheless, he could not doubt the Doctor's character. He had seen the lengths that the Doctor had gone to save worlds and…Amy. The agony he felt at losing Amy…It was worse than losing his soul. He had almost given up at Stonehenge, but the Doctor had accomplished the impossible and now Amy was here with him.

"I know he will come and save us," Rory said quietly.

"We will see," the man grinned and motioned towards the humanoid that stood behind him, "Erutzub take them to the cells below."

Rory felt himself dragged roughly to his feet and towards the door. The Doctor would come, he thought to himself confidently. In the main time, he had to make sure that Amy was all right.

* * *

><p>Madrelav stared thoughtfully after the two humans as they were shoved out of the room and turned toward Nh'lox.<p>

"The Doctor's screwdriver?" he asked and Nh'lox handed the device to him. Madrelav marveled at the instrument in his hands. He could barely contain the eagerness that flowed through him as he gazed up at the black sphere. It would not do to let anyone see him lose control over his emotions. He smoothed his expression and touched the surface with a hand. He could feel Nh'lox's hungry gaze.

A square section of the sphere slid up effortlessly, revealing a port. Madrelav inserted the screwdriver into the slot and held his breath. He could not control the grin that spread across his face as the sphere whirled to life and the lines of code appeared. He stared in fascination at the formula scripted on its surface. It was so simple. The war and the pain that had occurred…it had been to seal away something like this? But all could be remedied, Maldrelav thought as he crushed down a wave of rage.

"Will it…it work?" Nh'lox asked breathlessly.

"Yes. Soon we will be ready," Madrelav soothed him, "Soon you will all be saved."

Nh'lox nodded and tilted his head respectfully. "Thank you, my lord," he mumbled.

"You know what must happen next?" Madrelav asked Nh'lox quietly. Madrelav fought off disgust as Nh'lox nodded eagerly.

"Good, my child. Go and gather the Raine in the preparation room. The glorious day is almost upon us," Madrelav said, plastering a smile upon his face. Nh'lox bowed and turned away to do as he was bid.

Madrelav caressed the sphere, feeling the power hum under its surface.

"Come quickly Doctor," he murmured, "Save your companions." He hoped that the boy was right. He had an ugly surprise waiting for the Doctor after all.

* * *

><p>Thanks for the support and reviews everyone!<p>

It seems that the story is different from what I first expected it to be, so I changed the story description. Hope you guys like it :).


End file.
